Financial support available from the Crisis and Resilience Fund

You can apply for the new Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) from 1 April 2026 if you need financial support. It replaces the Household Support Fund (HSF), ensuring that support is still available.

The new fund will help residents who suddenly find themselves in a financial crisis, and it will also give longer‑term support to boost income and manage debt so that people feel more confident and secure when unexpected money problems arise.

More information, and how to apply, can be found on the Council’s Crisis and Resilience Fund webpage. There is lots of information available, so please ensure you read it all before applying:

Crisis and Resilience Fund | Cheshire West and Chester Council

Families receiving Free School Meals

Families receiving Free School Meals, who previously got automatic payments during the school holidays (as part of the Household Support Fund), will now need to apply to the Crisis and Resilience fund if they need help during a financial crisis.

For more information about Free School Meals, visit: Free school meals | Cheshire West and Chester Council

While the Council will process applications as quickly as possible, we cannot guarantee that payments will be made before the Easter period, particularly if there is a high volume of requests.

Other support available

• If residents need support now, they can visit the Council’s cost of living support webpages, which bring together information about financial help, advice services, and emergency assistance: Cost of living | Cheshire West and Chester Council
• There is also support available through the Holiday Activities and Food Fund (HAF): Cheshire West Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme | Cheshire West and Chester Council
• And on Live Well Cheshire West where residents can search for a range of services including food provision, activities, and more: Home | Live Well Cheshire West